BDay Trip - San Francisco - 04/30/2005

To celebrate occasion of completion of my quarter century on third rock from sun, i decided to go to west coast. This time state being california and place being santa clara (my college friends were here) and san jose (one of my collegue) and both these places being near to San Francisco, a very beautiful place which I will say to be in :-) This trip is important and memorable because I was visting and meeting a friend, a very very good friend, after a gap of almost three years.

Well start was not all that good. While going to parking before my flight to SFO, I missed exits twice and so was wandering and trying to figure out how to reach parking lot. After sometime I somehow reached parking lot and after parking car reached airport. This time at airport did not have any trouble and was through with security check in 10 min. Flight was from Detroit to Charlotte (which is in east coast) and from east coast to west coast. Both flights I slept well so as to cover up for lack of sleep before the trip begins.

I reached SFO at 10 PM (29th April) and Divya, Sachin and Nitika were there to receive me. I was meeting Divya after almost two and half years, sachin for the first time and nitika after two months (had met her in Chicago). From airport we reached Divya and Sachin's home. These people had prepared for my bdday :-). They have brought ice cream cake (hey its still there in the fridge... I forgot to finish it yaar). At 12, I cut the cake or better say ice cream :P and was very happy to not have my face painted. For those who are not aware of mangalore tradition (our tradition), at office during cake cutting there is face painting and at home along with face painting there used to be hair painting and also ear filling ceremonies. So this time it was all clean clean :-) And yeh forgot to mention that no one gave me bumps :-). After cake cutting and off course cake eating ceremonies we all chatted for some time and then slept. To start journey for next day which was going to be continued for two days.

Next day (30th April), Anup also joined us and we all started for the day. Divya's and Nitika's plan to take as many parties as possible was not getting successful. Will tell you as had some occasions where there plans failed :P. First was as we started we decided to go to eat ice cream and when we reached shop it was closed :) As there was still around 30 minutes before it was opening we decided to move on. I was saved at that point but to be later bakrofied next day when they all took ice cream party :P

Our first major sight seeing spot was Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz. Before that had seen, headquarters of many software companies. As name suggest it is very mysterious place and we drove through forests and beautiful mountaneous landscape before reaching this place. In mysterspot, gravitaional pull is bent.. that means it is not perpendicular to earth. but is bent at an angle... so one has to stand slated at an anle other wise you will fall.. We all tried some Matrix stunts :P and also Anup reached my height (only for the time we were in that place :P). Find out more abt the place from http://www.mysteryspot.com/.. Its a nice place to see something unusal and see how physics which we have always studies is not correct at some places of the world and which we are never taught.

After Mystery spot we went to 17 Mile Drive.. man what a place.. its road along Pacific and on the hills are posh houses.. overlooking pacific.. i want one of those. they are so beautiful.. also they have golf course just opposite pacific.. i think fishes willl also now be playing golf deep under water :-) That is so beautiful drive.. amazing.. there are so many beautiful places and spots in here :-)

From 17th Mile drive we went to another longgggg drive... That was on CA 1 (intra state California highway 1).. This highway runs along the pacific coast and gives wonderful view. it has become now my one of the best driving places :-)... Some day will drive the whole strech :-) One side are mountains.. green mountains and other side is pacific.. blue pacific.. it feels so good driving about there.. Drove there for hours and then decided to come back.. While coming back we took photos of "Happy Cows" also (ab jinhein nahin amaloom yeh kya hai uske liye : California ki Happy Coes ka yahan Ad aata hai :P ) heheNow was the movie plan and decided to watch "Kaal".. bus yehi pe maat khaa gaye... saali philum ghatiya nikali :( barbaad movie.. DO NOT WAtCH... Ajay devagan bhoot hai aur wohi sab ko maarta hai.. shaa. kya barbaad movie banayi hia.. in loogon ko aur acchi story mill sakti thi :P

Next day plan was to visit SFO downtown... So we staretd... Crossing various beautiful sities.. Pacifica, Salisuta.. all on teh coast and overlooking Pacific.. All having beautiful houses... All sch that you will feel like spending all yourlife there.. California is beautfiful plac eto live in :-)... First we went to Golden Gate bridge... its amazing.. between two mountains which forms border of Bay and Pacific.. driving over it was amazing.. Tried some stunts also as came out of moonroof to take some snaps.. We walked over the bridge and from there bay area and downtown have good view.. We can also see Alcatrez prison (The Rock fame :)).. there are some vista points on the hills from where we get better view of bridge.. When its foggy. its looks morfe beautiful and bridge will be hidden by fog and we can only see top points poking above fog, but Sunday was clear day..

From there we wnet to downtown SFO.. and to Fisherman's Wharf.. from here starts the Crises to Bay and also to Alcatrez.. Since Alcatrez cruises were sold out we wnet for Bay cruise.. In Bay area there are lot of people foing sailing and all.. Its always full with people doing water sports.. We again went till Golden gate, but this time under it and how magnificient it was.. What a human mind can think and what humans can acheive, these all magnificient peices of work reinforces the felings...Cruise also took us to Alcatrez, we just saw it from outside and did not get chance to explore it or do some Nicolas Cage like stunts :-)

After bay area cruise it was time to see downtown :-) And for that wee took tram journey :D.. its an open tram and indian ishtyle main latak sakte hian :) downtown is built like steps.. sleep hill then a step.. and then again steep hill and that tram took us up and down .. :-) toopk whole journey and back in tram, which was good :-) saw most part of downtown and this beautiful city of artists.. this place surely tells that it has artists in there.. because everything is so beautifull there is one crooked strret as name suggests its serpentine.,, aadhi teedhi.. and on both sisdes are gardens.. pics did not come out.. all are shaky :'(

It was time for my flight and so we came to airport..

it was such a wonderful trip.. wonderful in many ways.. which can't be put as words.. so ma not putting.

Now, before I close this trip details and tell u links for pictures.. here is smalll contest..Count number of times I have used the words "amazing", "woderful", "beautiful" and "wow". Send in your answers and you can win trio to San Francisco *

*Terms and Conditions:Will be discussed after contest finishes :P